I Want to do it Myself
by suzie2b
Summary: Charley gets angry at Tully.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **I Want to do it Myself**

 **By Suzie2b**

" **I'm sorry, Charley, but I've got orders. I'm not to allow you to drive a jeep out of the motor pool alone."**

 **Charley scowled and demanded, "Who the heck ordered that?"**

" **Sergeant Moffitt. And then it was strongly reiterated by your husband."**

" **Sergeant Peters, since when do you take 'orders' from another sergeant and a private?"**

 **Peters took a deep breath. "All right … it was 'strongly suggested' by both that I never allow you to take a jeep out alone again. I can get you a driver, Charley. What's the big deal?"**

 **The scowl remained firmly fixed on Charley's face and she very nearly stomped her foot as she said, "The 'big deal' is I want to do it myself, damn it! Najd is only an hour's drive from here and not even close to enemy territory. I'd just like to make a delivery on my own … just once." She looked at him pleadingly. "Please?"**

 **Sergeant Peters shook his head. "I won't do it. I'll make a call and see who's available to take you."**

 **##############################**

 **When Charley returned to base several hours later, she was still in a snit, but smiled at her driver and thanked him before walking away. Hitch and Tully were in the motor pool overseeing some repairs being made to the jeeps.**

 **Tully saw Charley and smiled as he said to Hitch, "I'll be right back." He trotted over to head off his wife. "Hey beautiful, how was your trip?"**

 **Charley looked at him and said with a frown, "The 'ride' was fine, thank you."**

 **She started to walk away and Tully caught her arm to stop her. "Hey, what's wrong?" She pulled out of his grip and stared up at him silently. "Tell me what's going on."**

 **Finally Charley said irately, "I don't need a babysitter!"**

 **Tully could only look at her in confusion as he said, "No … you don't need a babysitter. What brought this on?"**

" **I came to the motor pool this morning to sign out a jeep to go to Najd … and do you know what Sergeant Peters told me?"**

 **Tully remembered Charley's trip to Samawah for a pregnancy test all too well. "It was for your own good. You shouldn't be driving out in the desert alone, Charley."**

" **Why? Because I'm a woman?"**

" **It's partly that, yes. But it's mainly because you're my wife and I want to keep you as safe as possible."**

 **Tears sprang into Charley's eyes, and this time she did stomp her foot as she said, "I don't want to be safe!"**

 **Tully scowled. "What?"**

 **By now Charley was so upset she didn't know what to say anymore. "I'm going to go check in. Then I'm going home."**

 **With that she walked away, leaving Tully to wonder what just happened. He went back to Hitch, who said, "Everything okay, Tully? Charley looked pretty upset."**

 **Tully leaned on the jeep. "She is. She tried to sign out a jeep this morning to make a delivery to Najd and, of course, Peters wouldn't let her."**

" **Do you want to go after her?"**

" **No, I think I'd better wait and let her cool down some."**

 **##############################**

 **Charley checked in, made sure there was nothing more she needed to do, and then walked home, lost in her own thoughts. When she got to the apartment, she got her robe, a towel, and the key to the bathroom.**

 **As she let the shower wash over her, Charley started to calm down. She knew Tully worried about her when she was out on deliveries just as much as she worried about him when he was out on patrols or missions. They never spoke to each other about that worry because they both felt it would only intensify it. The closest Tully ever got to broaching the subject was the time he told her that if he couldn't be her driver, he preferred she be in a convoy with Carl Jensen as her driver.**

 **When Charley turned the water off, she took a sighing breath, then reached for the towel as she thought, "I suppose I shouldn't have yelled at him. He does what he does because he loves me. I don't know what I'd do without him." Dry, she slipped into her robe, wrapped her wet hair in the towel, brushed her teeth, and went back to the apartment.**

 **##############################**

 **Tully had dinner with Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch. He was staring at the tray in front of him, picking at his food, and wasn't listening to the conversation when Hitch elbowed him. Tully looked up at his three friends and Troy said with a rueful smile, "You haven't heard a word we've said, have you?"**

 **Tully sighed. "Sorry, my mind's on something else. Were you saying something important?"**

" **No, just chitchat. What's wrong?"**

" **Argument with Charley."**

 **Hitch said quietly, "She was pretty upset with him this afternoon when she got back from a mission."**

 **Tully nodded. "I think I might've really messed up this time."**

 **Moffitt looked at him sympathetically. "Care to talk about it?"**

" **Charley said that she tried to sign out a jeep this morning and Sergeant Peters wouldn't do it."**

" **Good. That's what he was supposed to do."**

 **Tully nodded. "But she was only going to Najd. I guess she thought, since it's so close and in American held territory, she'd go by herself."**

 **Troy said, "Just because it's American held doesn't make it safe, Tully."**

" **Yeah, I know. But I think Charley was more angry at the fact that I…" He looked at Moffitt. "We told Sergeant Peters not to let her out by herself in a jeep. She told me she didn't need a babysitter."**

 **Moffitt said thoughtfully, "Perhaps we did go too far after the Samawah incident."**

 **Tully nodded. "I talked to her about it after she healed up from the surgery and she promised she'd never purposely go into enemy territory alone. She was sick and scared when she did that."**

 **Hitch said, "Najd is only about eighty kilometers from here. She wouldn't have gotten into trouble as long as she stuck to the road."**

 **Troy said, "Look, Tully, we're supposed to go out on patrol tomorrow. I want you to stay here and get things straightened out with Charley."**

 **Tully shook his head. "I can't do that, sarge. It's my responsibility…"**

" **It's a simple patrol. We probably won't see anything but sand and scrub out there." Troy sighed and said, "It's important that your head's in the right place when we go out, Tully. Normally I wouldn't doubt your ability to separate work and home, but this time is different. I can see it on your face. Even if you make up with Charley tonight, I want you to stay behind."**

 **Moffitt agreed. "He's right. Isn't tomorrow the third Friday of the month?" Tully nodded. "Well then, Charley's got the day off. Spend it with her."**

 **##############################**

 **When Tully let himself into the apartment, he found Charley on the bed reading … or at least staring at the pages. She laid the book aside as she looked up at him and said, "I'm sorry about this afternoon."**

 **Tully closed and locked the door. "I'm sorry too." He set the sandwiches and fruit he'd brought on the table. "Can we talk about it?"**

 **Charley nodded. "Might be a good idea."**

 **Tully took his jacket off and draped it over a chair, then sat down. "I realize that telling Sergeant Peters to never let you have a jeep was wrong. But at the time, after you went to Samawah alone … I sort of panicked a little I guess."**

" **I never should have gone alone. If I'd been thinking more about safety then hiding the possibility that I was pregnant, I would've let the sergeant find me a driver."**

 **Tully took his boots off and asked, "Why did you want to go to Najd alone anyway?"**

 **Charley shrugged. "I guess I just wanted to prove to myself I could make a delivery on my own without a … a…"**

" **Babysitter?"**

 **Charley smiled a little. "Yeah. A babysitter." Then her expression was serious again. "The only times I've driven alone have been when I was in panic mode. I wanted to do it myself with a clear head so I'd know without a doubt that I'm capable of doing it alone."**

 **Tully stood up and took his shirt off. "I understand that and I know you're capable of doing anything you set your mind to. I get a little over protective at times. I don't like it when you get hurt."**

" **So you're going to be a little less over protective now?"**

" **No."**

 **Charley wrinkled her nose at him. "Do you think I could … once in a while … drive myself…"**

" **No."**

 **Charley sighed, then said, "Isn't there a compromise in here somewhere? You know I won't cross into enemy territory."**

 **Tully thought while he stripped off his pants, then said, "Okay, but where you're going can't be more than 120 kilometers from base."**

" **Okay."**

" **And you have to look at the latest charts before you go to check for** _ **any**_ **activity. Enemy or not. Every driver does that."**

 **Charley said, "You'll have to help me with that. Maps I can read. They didn't teach me military charts when I volunteered."**

 **Tully nodded. "No problem. We'll work on that." He looked her square in the eye and said, "And most importantly … you have to promise me that you'll call for help if there's the slightest of problems."**

 **With her index finger, Charley made an X over her heart. "I promise."**

 **Tully hesitated, then said, "All right. Tomorrow we'll go talk to Sergeant Peters."**

 **Charley grinned. "Thank you. I won't disappoint you."**

" **You couldn't disappoint me even if you tried." Tully smiled. "So are we good?"**

 **Charley scooted off the bed and walked to the table as she said, "We're great." She picked up an apple. "Thanks for bringing something to eat. I'm starved." She turned to look at her husband as his boxers hit the floor.**

 **Tully pulled her closer and removed her robe's sash, letting the material fall open. He moved his hands up and down her sides and over her bottom as he brought her in tight against him, making her gasp as he whispered, "For food?"**

 **Charley reached back and replaced the apple on the table before putting her arms around his neck. She pulled herself up and put her legs around his waist. Her voice was low and seductive as she said, "Among other things."**


End file.
